Machine for slicing and gouging heel-blanks.



' l atente d Jan. 16,1917.

DENNIS PARKS, or'sr. Lo'UIs, iyrrssouar.

MACHINE FOB. SLICING Am) cousins HEEL-BLANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 22, 1915. Serial No. 41,316.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DENNIs PARKs, a citi zen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have in vented new and useful improvements in Machines for Slicing and G'ouging Heel- Blanks, of which the'following is a specification. V

This invention relates to the art of heel building, and has for its general object to,

provide a machine for slicing heel-blanks to give them the proper set or incline, and

V for gougingor concavin'g the under side of spectively, and adjacent to each of these lat-e the heel-blank to facilitate. imparting the proper seat-curvature thereto by the compress. I

Stated more in detail, objects of the invention are to provide a machine of the character described having mounted therein a gouger and a slicer, with means for automatically passlng heel-blanks over said gouger and sheer; to provide pushers, or

feeders for forcing the heel-blanks into contact with and over the gouger and slicer, and means for producing continuous reciprocation thereof; and to provide clamps which are automatically actuated to suecessively clamp, and release theheel-blanksQ.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention I fixedly secure near opposite ends of a frame, or bed, a slicer and a gouger, re-

tera support for receiving the heel-blanks. Cooperating with thegouger and slicer are a pair of heel-blank feeders, which are continuously and simultaneously reciprocated, so thatas one .feeder is moving toward the slicer the other feeder will be moving away from the gouger. Also cooperating with said slicer and gouger, respectively, are two clamping members which are simultaneously .actuated in. alternation to clamp o first the heel-blanks and hold them firmly in position while the feeder forcesv the heel-blank over said slicer or gouger, andthen to release the heel-blank. V V

The clamping members are pivotally mounted on the reciprocating feeders and are operatively connected in such 'manner.

that the positive actuation of one-clamping member in a direction to clamp a heel-blank will simultaneously move the other. clamping member in the opposite direction to release a heel-blank. Preferably also the arrangement is such that the driving mechanism for reciprocating the heel-blank pushers also actuates the clamping members."

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

This arrangement is very economical, as it permits a single driving mechanism to operate what: would otherwise constitute. two

distinct machines,- viz., a machine for slicing heel-blanks and a machine for gouging heel-blanks; so'that while but a single or unitary machine employed, such machine Will accommodate two operators, if desired, one operator supplying the heel-blanks to embodied in one'machine, and operated from I a single driving mechanism, but that the same principle of v operation could be followed by having separate machines independently driven for the slicer and gouger.

Heretofore, in building heel-blanks of any considerable height, it has been customary to inserta tapered lift about midway of the height of the heel in order to give the lower portion of the heel a slight forward pitch.

In building heel-blanks with the machine.

heretofore invented by John E. Mitchell and myself, and embodied in an application for patentfiled November 2nd, 1914, Ser. No. 869,740, these tapered lifts were at first cut and embodied in the heel-blank in the same manner as the straightlifts. It was found in-practice, however, that there was afrequent tendency of the freshly pasted lifts superimposed upon this tapered lift in the holder to slide over the tapered lift under thepressure of the ejector, resulting in the formation of an imperfect heel-blank. It was also found necessary to insert a re-' versely-inclined metal plate between adjacent heel-blanks in orderto straighten the column of heel-blanks in the holder. It is also customary to.concave the last or top lift of a heel-blank in order to enable the proper seat-curvature to be imparted to the top of the heel-blank in the compress without the use of an impracticable degree of pressure.

Special machines are employed for cutting the inclined strips from which the tapered lifts are cut, and for forming a con cave in the top' lift. To avoid the trouble and expense, and the danger of imperfect heel-blanks, incident to the use of tapered lifts, as above described, I conceived the idea of slicing an inclined strip from the top of the heel-blank, and of avoiding the expense of an extra machine for gouging the top lift by providing a single machine for so slicing the heel-blank and also for gouging a concave seat therein; such conceptions being embodied in the present invention, which'provides a simple and relatively inexpensive machine for accomplishing the purposes stated.

In the use of the Mitchell and Parks machine above referred to, heels of any height are now built perfectly level. They are then acted upon by the machine of this present invention and byslicing the heel on an incline, that is to say, cutting an inclined piece from its top or larger side, the proper set or pitch is given to the heel. The concave in the heel is then formed by gouging the inclined end of the heel-blank in an inclined direction from near the back to the breast of the heel, so that when compressed the heel will havev the same shape and pitch as heelblanks as formerly constructed.

In the operation of the machine it is not essential that both the gouger and slicer should be employed, as either may be used independently of the other, and the heelblanks either sliced or gouged; usually, how-- ever, a heel-blank that would be sliced to give it an incline will also be gouged; but in the case of low heel-blanks it is not necessary to provide them with an incline and they are therefore only gouged.

In the accompanying draW1ngs,-F1gure 1 is a plan view of a-machine constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2, and viewed in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. l 1s a section taken on or about the line 1- 1 of Fig.

1, showing a heel-blank in place at the beginning of the slicing operation.

Referring now to the drawing, the main frame or bed of the machine comprises two parallel rods 1, 2, which substantially define the length of the machine, and are connected at their opposite ends by means of plates 3 provided at opposite sides with apertured bosses 4 which receive the ends of the rods 1, 2, said bosses being firmly secured in posi- 5 tion on the ends of said rods by screws 5.

Each of the plates 3 has a reduced or narrowed portion extending between the rods 1, 2, and mounted. on and secured to the upper side of the narrowed portion of each of the plates 3 is a support, that at the left of the machine, shown in Fig. 1, being indicated by the numeral 6, and that at the opposite end by the numeral 7 The numerals 8 indicate pairs of apertured heads which are mounted on the rods secured on one end a pulley 12 by means of which the machinemay be driven by a suitable belt (not shown) in the ordinary manner. The end of the shaft 11 on which the pulley 12 is mounted is further supported in a bearing 13, likewise formed integral with the web 9 at that'side of the machine. The opposite end of the shaft 11 to that de scribed has secured thereon a gear-wheel 14. Journaled in the second pair of bearings 16 is a driven shaft 15, on one end of which is secured a gear-wheel 16 in mesh with the gearwvheel 1 1. On the other end of the shaft 15 is secured a crank-disk 17 having a. wrist-pin 18 on which is journaled one end of a drive-rod 19. The gear-wheel 16 is likewise provided with a wrist-pin 20 on which is journaled one end of a drive-rod 21. The. gear-wheel 16 and the crank-disk 17 areof the same diameter, and the wrist pins 18 and 20 are mounted at the same distance from the circumference of these respective members, so that the drive rods 19 and 21 will be actuated in unison and given the same throw. 4

Referring to the left-hand portion of Fig. 1, the numeral 22 indicates a plate which is provided at its inner end at opposite sides with apertured heads 23 which are slipped over the rods 1 and 2', and secured in position adjacent to one set of the'heads 8 by means of screws 24 (see Figs. 2 and 4;). The support 6, previously referred to, is provided in its inner end portion with a rectangular recess 25. The plate 22 is provided' with a narrowed portion 26 which eX- tends into the recess 25, and secured on the end of the portion 26 of said plate. is a blade 27 (Fig. 4:) the cutting edge 28 of which is located adjacent to and slightly above the inner end or bottom 29 of the recess 25 in the support 6. The blade 27 constitutes the slicer before referred to.

The numeral 30 indicates a carriage which is provided at opposite ends with bearings 81 slidably mounted on the rods 1 and 2, as shown more clearly at the left-hand side of Fig. 2. Adjustably secured on this carriage is a push-bar 82,- the adjustable connection comprising threaded bolts on the top of the carriage 30 passing through slots 33 in the puslrbar and having binding nuts 34. secured thereon. Secured to, and preferably y of the slicer 27. Adjustably mounted on the upper side of the carriage 30 is a stop plate 36 provided at its inner end with an up'.' standing flange'37. Said stop plate is laterally adjustable through the medium of a thread bolt 38* on the carriage 80 passing through a slot 89 of said stop plate and having a jam-nut thereon. The flange 37 acts as a stop to arrest the movement of the heelblanks as they are placed in the machine b the operator tobe sliced.

Still referring to the portion of .the machine illustrated at the left of Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 87 indicates a yoke lever which spans the carriage 30 and is provided at opposite ends with legs 38owhich are pivotally mounted at 39 intermediate their ends on the inner end of the carriage 30. The lower ends-of the legs 38 are pivotally connected to the outer ends of the respective drive-rods 19 and 21', as indicated at 40. Projecting outward from the center of the yoke-lever 37 is an arm 41 in which is adjustably mounted a clamping-member 42, said clamping-member having a screw-threaded shank 43 extending through a slot 44 in the arm 41, and being provided with a jam-nut 45 and an adjusting nut 46, by manipulating which,

in a well-understood way, the clampingmember 42 may be adjusted vertically and laterally in the arm 41. J ournaled in the lower ends of the legs 88 and extending between the same is a rod 47, the outer ends of which constitute the pivots for the re-.. spective drive rods 19 and Projecting 40 downward from thecarriage 30 at opposite sides thereof, respectively, are two lugs 48,

each of which is bifurcated to provide an "elongated recess 49 (Fig. 4), which spans the rod 47 and in which the latter has a limited movement. a 1

' Referring now to the construction illustrated at the right of Figs. 1. and 2, a plate 50, corresponding to the .plate 22, has

mounted thereon a gouge 51, the cuttingedge of which is curved;- and. a carriage 52, similar to the carr1age80, has ad ustably mounted thereon a push-bar 53 provided with. a guide 54, and opposite the guide an adjustable stop-plate 55. carrying a clamping-member 57 and having a rod 58 connecting the lower end of its legs is pivotally mounted on the carriage 52 exactly in the same manner as the yoke-lever 87 is mounted on the carriage 30.x Bifurcated' lugs 59 project downward from the under side of the carriage 52 and span the rod 58, which has a limited movement in said lugs, the latter corresponding exactly in construction and function with the lugs 48 before referred to. The'rods 47 and 58 A" yoke-lever 56v asfollows: The pulley '12 being rotated, the

shaft 11 will be operated to continuously ro-- tate the gear 16 and crank disk 17 from the gear 14. This rotation ofthe' shaft 11 causes the continuous reciprocation of the driving rods 19' and 21. As-these rods move outward, or toward the end of the machine at the left of the drawing the rod 47 will first be moved from the innerto the outer edges ofthe slots 49. During this movement the lower ends of the legs38 will be'moved outward, thereby throwing the yoke-lever 37 inward and raising the clamping-member 42. When the rod 47 engages the outer edgesof the slots 49 in the lugs 48 the carriage- 30 will then be'moved outward on the rods 1 and 2' to the extreme limit of the throw of the driving rods 19 and 21.. 1 y

Assuming, now, a heel-blank X to have been placed by the operator in position against the stop 37 and the inner edge of the push-bar 32, such heel-blankwill then have the position shown in Fig; 4,1 its rear or curved edge resting upon the cutting'ed'ge 28 of the slicer 27 As the driving rods 19 and 21 move rearward, the first: result of such motion is to drawthe'lower ends of the legs. 38Linward' and thereby throw the yoke-lever 87 outward; and .turn the: clamp ing-member 42 into engagementwith the top of the heel-blank X, as shown in Fig.4. The rod 47 now. engages the inner edges'of the slots in theilugs 48 which engagement will cause the carriage 30, the push-bar 32 and the yoke-lever 38 tomove inward.

forced against the cutting edge of the slicer, which will operate to cut a slice of leather from the heel-blank. The lineof cut will be onan inclined path. relative to the plane 'of the upper side of" the heel-blank, owing to the fact that theheel-blank is held. in an upset position by reason of its curved edge resting upon the slicer 27, which latter oc-' In this movement the heel-blank X will be cupies a plane slightly above: the plane of the support .6. The movement of the heel The operations occurring at the right-hand side 1' of. the machine,;,in connection with: the gouger' 51', are the same as those just" dcscribed,'with.the exception thatithe rod 58 heel-blank in an inclined position relative is not actuated directly by the driving rods but through the medium of the connecting rods so that the carriage 52 moves inward as the carriage 30 is moving outward. In this latter movement of the carriage 80 the rod 58 will first be moved to turn the yokelever 56v downward so that its clampingmember will engage the heel-blank which has been placed in position on the gouger, as shown by dotted lines, and then the engagement of the rod 58 with theinner edges of the slots in the lugs 59 will cause the carriage 52, the push-bar 58 and the yoke-lever 56 to be drawn inward, the said push-bar forcing the heel-blank against the gouger which operates to form a concave in the heel-blank by removing a circular portion of material, therefrom from near the outer edge to the breast of the heel-blank. heel-blank thus sliced and gouged, when compressed in the usual way, will be found to have the requisite set and concave,-and these characteristics are imparted to the heel-blank in such manner as to secure accuracy in result and with the use of a machine extremely simple in organization and operation. Furthermore, the use of a skilled mechanic is not required in performing these actions, as any unskilled person may soon acquire great facility in placing the heelblanks in position on the gouger or cutter after each outward movement of the respective push-bars.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, a stationary cutter, means for supporting an independent heel-blank with its upper fiat side in inclined relation thereto, and with a portion extending across the plane of the cutter, and a reciprocable member for forcing the heel-blank in a right line into contact with and over said cutter.

2. In a machine of the class described, a cutter,-means for supporting a heel-blank with its upper flat side in inclined relation thereto and with a portion extending below the plane of the cutter, means for automatically clamping the heel-blank in such position, and means for eifecting relative movement between the heel-blank and the cutter in a horizontal plane while the heelblank is held in its clamped position.

3. In a machine of the class described, a

7 stationary cutter, means for supporting a thereto, means for advancing the heel-blank in a right line toward said cutter, a clamp movable with said advancing means for holding the heel-blank in a fixed position while being advanced, and means for automatically releasing said clamp.

4. In a machine of the class described, a stationary cutter, a support for heel-blanks located below the plane of said cutter a distance equal to the thickness of the material to be cut from the heel-blank, a pusher for forcing the heel-blank toward the cutter, a

' cutter, a support for heel-blanks located below the plane of said cutter, a movable pusher located above said support and adjustable to permit a heel-blank to rest on said support only when one edge portion of said heel-blank rests on said cutter, heelblank clamping means movable with said pusher, and means for reciprocating said pusher toward and from the cutter.

6. In a machine of the class described, a cutter, a support for a heel-blank located below the plane of said cutter, a slidable carriage, a heel-blank pusher carried thereby, a pivoted clamp mounted on said carriage, and actuating means operating in one stage of movement first to turn said clamp into engagement with a heel-blank and then to move said carriage in a direction to cause said pusher to force the clamped heel-blank into contact with said cutter, and in the next stage of movement first to release said clamp and then to return said carriage to its normal position. I

7 In a machine of the class described, in combination with a slicer and a gouger oppositely disposed with respect to each other, means for supporting heel-blanks in opera- I tive relation to said slicer and gouger, heelblank pushers movable toward and from said slicer and gouger, respectively, a pivoted clamping member movable with each pusher, driving-mechanism connected to one of said clamping members, means connecting the two clamping members whereby they will be moved simultaneously in opposite directions, and a lost-motion connection between the respective clamping-members and pushers whereby each clamp will in turn be operated in advance of the movement of the pusher.

8. In a machine of the class described, in combinationwith a slicer and a gouger oppositely disposed with respect to each other,

' heel-blank advancing members operatively associated with said slicer and said gouger, respectively, heel-clamps operable to engage heel-blanks deposited in front of said advancing members, and means for continuously reciprocating said heel-blank advancing members and for actuating each clamp alternately to clamp and release a heelblank in advance of the movement of its advancing member toward and from the slicer and gouger, respectively, p

9. In a machine of the class described,

I in combination with a slicer and gouger oppositely disposed with respect to each other,

' 1,212,s07 I i a slidable carriages cooperating, respectively, with said sheer and gouger, a clamp pivotally mounted on each ofsaid carriages,

means connecting said clamps, driving mechanism for actuatlng one of sand clamps, a lost-motion connection between each of said clamps and its carriage, and a heel-' heel-blank pushe-rs cooperating with said slicer and said gouger, respectively, a heelblank clamp movable with each pusher, and actuating means operating alternately to move each clamp to clamping position then 'to advance the corresponding pusher toward the slicer or gouger, and then to release said clamp and return the pusher to normal position.

11. In a machine of the class described,

in combination with a slicer and a gouger oppositely disposed with respect to each other, slidable carriages'mounted in operative relation to said slicer and gouger, respectively, a yoke-lever pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of its legs on each carriage, rods connecting the corresponding ends of said legs, a lost-motion connection between each carriage and its yoke-lever, a clamping member carried by each yokelever, a heel-blank pusher carriedby each carriage, and driving mechanism connected with one of said yoke-levers. 7

12. In a machine of the class described, a stationary cutter, a slidable carriage mounted in operative relation thereto, a push-bar adjustably mounted on said carriage a-nd'located above said cutter, means for supporting a heel-blank on said carriage with its top in operative relation to said outter and its breast engaged by said pushbar, and means for reciprocating said car'- riage.

13. In a machine of the class described, a cutter, a slidable carriage mounted in operative relation thereto, a lever pivotally mounted on said carriage, a'clamping-member adjustably mounted in said lever, means for supporting a heel-blank in operative relation to said cutter, a heel-blank pusher mounted on said carriage, and means for actuatingsaid lever to clamp the heel-blank and for moving said carriage to cause its pusher to force the clamped heel-blank into contact with said cutter. Y

14. In a machine of the classdescribed, in combination with a slicer and a gouger oppositely disposed with respect to each other, heel-blank pushers and heel-blank clamps operatively positionedwith respect to said gouger and slicer, driving mechanism, and means actuated thereby for operating first one of said clamps to engage a heel-blank'65 and then to advance a corresponding pusher to force the heel-blank into contact 'with the slicer or gouger, and then to release said, clamp and return the pusher to normal position while simultaneously operating the other clampand pusher in the reverse man ner.

15. In a machine of the class described, in combination with a stationary cutter, a

slidable push-bar movable in a horizontal plane above the cutter, a support for a heelblank located below said cutter, an adjustable stop cooperating with said push-bar to position a heel-blank with respect to said cutter, and means for reciprocating said push-bar. V

16. In a machine of the class described, in combination with a stationary cutter, a slidable carriage mounted in operative relation thereto, a push-bar adjustably mounted on said carriage, a stop also adjustably mounted on said carriage adjacent to said pushbar, and means forreciprocating said carria e.

1%. In a machine of the class described, in combination with a cutter, a carriage slidably mounted in relation thereto, a push-bar adj ustably mounted on said carriage, a guide plate carried by' said push-bar, a stop ad 7 justably mounted on said carriage opposite said guide plate, and means for reciprocating said carriage.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set In hand. V

y DENNIS PARKS.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the 0ommissi oner of Patent Washington, 1L0. 

